Police animation shows bathroom scene in MI6 spy death

A Metropolitan police animation shows the bathroom scene where the body of spy
Gareth Williams was found zipped into a locked holdall.

10:47PM BST 30 Apr 2012

MI6 spy Gareth Williams would have suffocated within three minutes after getting inside his sports holdall, an inquest heard today.

Poisoning and asphyxiation are the "foremost contenders" in solving the death riddle, pathologists said.

It also emerged scientists found traces of "at least" two unknown people in his upmarket London apartment despite evidence that Mr Williams rarely invited people over.

Forensic expert Ros Hammond told Westminster Coroner's Court there were hopes of a breakthrough "within a matter of weeks" from DNA tests on a green towel discovered in his kitchen.

Mr Hammond said a third party would not necessarily have left any DNA on his red North Face bag and padlock. But she said there was evidence of at least two people other than Williams on the samples tested.